1958 K31 Swiss

[FSB12Bravo]

Hey guys, new to the website but I figured I would show off my last year, 1958 K31 Swiss. If your familiar with the K31 you know that 1958 was the last year of production, and that there were roughly 3,130 rifles produced that year. Making this a rare bird, as I also believe it was unissued. Let me know what ya think!

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[FSB12Bravo]

Something I found interesting, the odd serial number Century stamped on the receiver even though the rifle is all matching and completely different than the SN stamped!

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Very nice, not refinished at all?

Looks like some rust was cleaned off the butt plate, but the rest looks amazing.

 

[ProdigalSon]

Duuuuude... that is sweet.

 

[Medic!]

Clean.

So very clean.

 

[FSB12Bravo]

Not refinished at all, as far as I know. In the time I've had it, I have touched it 3-4 times. Never shot it, sits tucked away and wrapped in the safe. I had it looked at by a few Swiss enthusiasts, as far as their expertise goes it hasn't been refinished, and is highly likely an unissued specimen. Made me giddy lol, so it will not be fired.

 

[FSB12Bravo]

Thanks guys!

 

[Jim Colvill]

You have more strength than I. I would need to run at least one box of ammo through that just to experience it. Very nice.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Very sweet rifle, thanks for the images!

 

[Ura-Ki]

Man, That is ONE Sweet Rifle! Takes something special like this to make me jealous, That did it!!! Congrats on such a find, now go out and shoot the damn thing, that is what it is made for, gotta put at least ONE box through it, Just to experience such a sweet master works of Rifle technology!!!

 

[FSB12Bravo]

Thanks guys. I would love to shoot it but I don't want to hurt the value any. Thought about selling it, just can't make up my mind yet!

 

[tac]

Thanks guys. I would love to shoot it but I don't want to hurt the value any. Thought about selling it, just can't make up my mind yet!

Over on swissrifle forum we hear a lot from noobs to Swiss shooting, and how valuable they are going to be some day if they are not fired. This, Sir, is, with the greatest respect, pure hokum. According to the figures, there never was a single K31 issued that was not shot at some time, and it seems that ALL were issued. The changeover to the StG57 was not instant, it took around three years or so, and during that time those last issued rifles were used, and you can take that to the bank. Just how MUCH they were used is not even open to debate - the annual obligatory shoot is only 12 shots - ten to count. BUT you were required to shoot it with your service-issue arm.

In any case, yours is a VERY fine example to own and shoot - that's what they were made for, and you are missing out on MANY comps winning successes over ANYTHING else by not doing so.

Here in yUK, where is NO GP11, we have to reload our own or buy that $100/C PPU stuff. In the USA, where right now you seem to have ALL the GP11 in the world, you should be hoarding the stuff like crazy against the day where you are in the same position as we are.

Handy tint and hip - get some Lubriplate and use it on the gun - DO NOT USE OIL ANYWHERE, except on the trigger pins. Grease is what the Swiss have been using since the late 1870's, and so should you. A teeny bit at the back of each bolt lug and top and bottom of the operating rod, and a very thin smear in the cam track. Failing that, any good-quality light yellow grease is fine. I've been using Shakespeare spinning reel grease on all of mine since the late '80s. After at least ten thousand shots down each barrel, there is still no sign of any use at all - K11 from 1914 and K31 from 1954.

tac
www.swissrifles.com
www.gunboards.com - Swiss forum

 

[FSB12Bravo]

Over on swissrifle forum we hear a lot from noobs to Swiss shooting, and how valuable they are going to be some day if they are not fired. This, Sir, is, with the greatest respect, pure hokum. According to the figures, there never was a single K31 issued that was not shot at some time, and it seems that ALL were issued. The changeover to the StG57 was not instant, it took around three years or so, and during that time those last issued rifles were used, and you can take that to the bank. Just how MUCH they were used is not even open to debate - the annual obligatory shoot is only 12 shots - ten to count. BUT you were required to shoot it with your service-issue arm.

In any case, yours is a VERY fine example to own and shoot - that's what they were made for, and you are missing out on MANY comps winning successes over ANYTHING else by not doing so.

Here in yUK, where is NO GP11, we have to reload our own or buy that $100/C PPU stuff. In the USA, where right now you seem to have ALL the GP11 in the world, you should be hoarding the stuff like crazy against the day where you are in the same position as we are.

Handy tint and hip - get some Lubriplate and use it on the gun - DO NOT USE OIL ANYWHERE, except on the trigger pins. Grease is what the Swiss have been using since the late 1870's, and so should you. A teeny bit at the back of each bolt lug and top and bottom of the operating rod, and a very thin smear in the cam track. Failing that, any good-quality light yellow grease is fine. I've been using Shakespeare spinning reel grease on all of mine since the late '80s. After at least ten thousand shots down each barrel, there is still no sign of any use at all - K11 from 1914 and K31 from 1954.

tac
www.swissrifles.com
www.gunboards.com - Swiss forum

This isn't my first Swiss and won't be my last. It's already greased accordingly, by me, with an original cleaning kit. All rifles/firearms were made to be shot, I get that, and the possibility I will end up shooting this one is very much there, but for now it will stay as is, as I have my 1943 K31 to shoot. I appreciate your thoughts and your opinion. Thanks for the extra info.

 

[FSB12Bravo]

If I did decide to end up selling it Tac, you wouldn't happen to know a value on the K31's these days would you?

 

[SKSfan]

Look under the butt plate, it might have a tag under it, listing who it was issued to.

 

[tac]

If I did decide to end up selling it Tac, you wouldn't happen to know a value on the K31's these days would you?

Any hohum K31 is going to be around $400 these days - look at Simpsons prices and reduce them by around 40% for a reality check. Some of their prices are for a K31 actually used by William Tell himself.

Sadly, that HUGE and unsightish stamp on the receiver is going to cost you a whack of $$$$ on any sale. The less obvious stamps were often found on the round of the muzzle in very small markings.

tac

 

[tac]

Look under the butt plate, it might have a tag under it, listing who it was issued to.

Even better, because we have the Swiss national phone book, we can write him or his descendant, too.

Over on Swissrifles.com we have three standardised letters written in three of the four languages spoken in CH - all you you is copy it out and fill in the blanks. Who knows? It might be the start of a great friendhoodness - it HAS happened a number ot times!

tac

 

[Dungannon]

Just noticed The Firearms Blog has a very brief article on Albrecht Moser, the former Swiss soldier who has been running and gunning with his K31 for 50 years. Off on a tangent, I realize - but cool nonetheless.

 

[FSB12Bravo]

Thanks for all the replies! Much appreciated. I no longer have this rifle, it has been replaced by 2 M39 Finn's!

 

[FSB12Bravo]

Look under the butt plate, it might have a tag under it, listing who it was issued to.

It did not have the troop tag.